There are several types of agricultural machines on the market which rely on machine-generated pneumatic pressure for effective operation. One such machine is the so-called "air seeder", a machine which meters and distributes, via a stream of pressurized air, seeds to ground openers for the purpose of planting the seeds. Such machines or others based on similar principles of operation can be used for application of fertilizers and chemicals to the ground. The application of fertilizers and chemicals, if done by way of an air seeder, can be accomplished simultaneously with the planting of the seeds if desired.
On many existing air seeders problems can arise should the air supply system fail. Since such seeders normally feed the seeds mechanically into the pneumatic delivery conduit failure to stop such mechanical feed when the air supply stops can result in a jammed or blocked delivery conduit, which is often difficult and time consuming to unplug, and which in turn can cause damage to the mechanical feed.